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Edition of two hundred
and jfifty copies, printed on
O.W. Taper hy Tayloe and
Francis, Red Lion Court,
Fleet Street.

^^^l^^^'^'^^Si'

ITALIAN riERAMIO AKT.

BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

Uniform with the present Work.

THE ORIENTAL INFLUENCE ON THE CERAlVIIC ART OF
THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE. With Illustrations. 1900,

THE ART OF THE PRECURSORS. A STUDY IN THE
HISTORY OF EARLY ITALIAN MAIOLICA. With Illustha-

TIO.XS. 1 90 I.

ALL RIQETS RESEMVED

SI 1

TO THE MEMORY OF

DOTT. CAV. LUIGI FRATI,

COJIMUNAL LIBRARIAN AND DIRECTOR OF THE MEDIEVAL
SECTION OF THE CIVIC MUSEUM, BOLOGNA.

ivil51i60

PREFACE.

TN selecting the illustrations o£ the XVth century Italian pave-
ments, the aim has been to render a general idea o£ each by
giving a few typical examples o£ its component tiles. Were it not
that these pavements are now so few, the space of time included
between the earliest and the latest would be too lonci to be dealt
•with in a sinole studv. But seeinor that the larger number of them
have perished, the convenience of the student of this important
phase of Italian maiolica will, probably, best be consulted by pre-
senting the illustration of those still remaining in one series.

I shall ever gratefully remember the kind assistance I received,
while making studies of the objects, from the Directors of the
Museums possessing examples of the tiles and from the Guardians
of the Monuments and Churches wherein are the pavements, and
for which I beg to offer those gentlemen my sincere thanks.

H. W.

INTRODUCTION

TN Italy, as in other countries which have l)een celebrated for
their ceramic art, the potter's output was developed in two
directions, one being vase work, the other tilework. The evidence
as to priority of production is, perhaps, in no instance very de-
cisive, but that the two branches of the art were inspired by
similar ideals, and were subject to like influences, was the general
rule. They were, indeed, so closely related that it may be said the
existence of one implied that of the other. In the case of a long
past art, the remains of which have become buried in the earth, it
may, of course, happen that only one kind has been discovered, as
the wall-tiles at Susa. So it was with the splendid Persian tiles,
which were known some time before the contemporary vases
reached Europe. The tiles and vases of Damascus are equally
beautiful; in their case the vases had acquired celebrity whilst the
tiles were comparatively unknown outside their native land. If
in the above instances we are uncertain as to which branch of the
art had first arrived — not precisely at maturity, but at that stage
when the work was executed with a certain amount of facility, the
doubt hardly exists respecting the maiolica production of Italy.
There we find the vasework tentative and immature in its mani-
pulation a century older than the earliest known maiolica tiles,

c

Xll INTRODUCTION.

■while these in their artistic treatment — allowino- for a certain
qnaint simplicity of motive — are executed with easy mastery.
Judging from references both literary and pictorial, they appear
to have rapidly come into general use, as well for domestic as
v/ecclesiastical buildings : of the earliest examples of the former
'" 'class probably none exists ; of the latter, which there are good
reasons for believing the pavements were numbered by hundreds,
w^e can now scarcely count a dozen, the rest having been swept
away, from the XVIIth century downwards, to give place to forms
of art at once pretentious and insipid.

Whether regarded from the historic or aesthetic point of view,
these relics of the ceramic art of the XVth century, the century
wherein the supreme achievement of the Italian Renaissance was
concentrated, are equally instructive to the connoisseur and the
student of art-history. They embod}^ a phase of artistic invention
which is absolutely unique. They likewise furnish information
respecting the progress of the art of the Italian maiolicanti ob-
tainable from no other source. For whilst the vasework of the
century is conspicuously lacking- in inscribed dates, on these they
are sometin)es present, and when this is not the case they contain
internal evidence indicating their period of production often within
very narrow limits. But their documentary value is of secondary
importance compared with their intrinsic artistic qualities, indi-
vidually and as parts of carefully considered decorative schemes,
in the latter respect being especially deserving attention. Those
still remaining in the places whei-e they were laid down are
usually found in chapels, and it was preeminently in these edifices
that much of the finest artistic work of the XVth century, whether
in painting or sculpture, was executed. These chapels, the cyno-
sure of many an artistic pilgrimage even at the present day, when
so much of their glory has departed, stand forth not only as models
of architectural style, but also as examples of perfect adaptation of
decoi-ative efllect in all ])articulars.

The subjective scheme usually followed in the qtatttrocento

INTRODUCTION. XUl

chiipel wa-; logicullv concf ivcd in accordance with the symbolic
Sjiirit oi" the age. Tlio Evangeh'st-s, or sometimes tlio Greater
Prophets, the inditers of the Sacred Word, were de})icted in glory
on the ceiling. Scenes from the life of the founder^s patron Saint
formed the subjects of the frescoed walls. The lledeemcr, whether
as "gracious Child or thorn-crown'd Man/' was the central figure
of the composition surmounting the altar, and the tiled floor, in a
soft haze of blended colours, suggesting the flower-enamelled
fields of the heavenly paradise, completed the mystic yet well-
ordered design. They completed the decorative scheme^ they gave
the last dedicate embellishment to the ideal conception, but with
rare tact and intelligence the artists abstained from attempting to
compete with the dramatic interest dominating the pictorial art in
the other parts of the chapel. Hence their aim was to suggest an
unpremeditated art. Ornamental motives are hinted rather than
elaborated. They are like the snatches of melody which some
skilful musician will evoke when passing his fingers apparently at
random over the keyboard. Each tile bears its separate orna-
mental motive, as a bird, an animal, or a fish ; occasionally it is a
head in profile, then probably a portrait of some one associated
with the chapel ; not infrequently the arms or impresa of its
founder are depicted, or a motto, or the initial letter of the name
of the Virgin. More often, however, it is a simple passage
of conventional ornament. All these unpretending designs are
intended to charm and interest by their naivety and simplicity, they
supply the element of repose necessary in all well-concerted artistic
compositions. After contemplating the high-strung themes of the
mural cotri positions, wherein may have been portrayed the death-
agony of the martyr, or some solemn scene of trial and sufiering,
the eye falls on the painted floor and finds in its candid, artless
delineations precisely that rest which is grateful after the previous
tension. It is the dujjiication in pictorial art of Shakespeare's
method in his tragic scenes. The art actually influencing the
Italian maiolica tiles of tin;;- period was probably that of the Xlllth

e2

INTRODUCTION.

century Persian lastred tilos^ whereon are so often seen motives of
a similar kind. The fanciful designs displayed on the Persian
carpets, which v.ere im[)orted into Italy at this time, may also
have exerted an influence on the tile-paiuters.

The earliest existino- niaiolica pavement known to the writer is
that in the (Jaraeciolo (Jiiapel of the church of S. Giovanni a
Carbonara, at Naples (see fii;s. 1-8). The chapel contains the
tomb and was decorated in honour of Ser Gianni Caracciolo, Grand
Seneschal and favourite of Queen Joanna 11. of Naples. He was
assassmated in 1432: allo\^ino•, therefore, a few years for the com-
pletion of the chapel, the date usually assigned for the pavement
— about 1410 — may be accepted without hesitation ; especially
since the rest of the decoration of the chapel belongs to this period.
As to the provenance of the tiles, no documents relating to their
purchase or their fabrication having yet been discovered, the clue
must be sought for in the comparison of their technique and design
with other examples of Italian ceramic art. In these particulars
their affinities are v.ith central Italian and es[)ecially Tuscan pottery,
no known Neapolitan ware in any way resembling them in orna-
mental motives. Reasons for accepting this origin are found iu
the fact that north and central Italian artists, as Giotto and
Donatello, executed important work at Naples during the XlVth
and XVth centuries : even in the chapel to which the tiles belong
the frescos are inscribed " Leonardus de Bisuccio de Mediolano,
banc capellam et hoc sepulcrum pinxit." "^ Some confirmation of
the supposition that they may have been imported from Tuscany is
furnished bv a document referring to a conmn'ssion given from
Naples in 1488 by Giuliano da Majano, then in the service of
Kin<T Ferrante, to his brother Benedetto da Majano at Florence
for 20,0i">0 tiles to be used in buildings which Giuliano was erecting
for the King. " 24 maggio, 1488. A Juliano et herede d^ Antonio
Gondi se])tanta nove due. Uno t[ari] quatro gr[ana] per banco

* See CnowE and Cavalcasklle : Hist, of Paintiiif;- in Italy, vol. i. p. 333.

INTRODUCTION. XV

da Palmer [Palmieri] o soniio per valuta do fiorinj LXXIde gross!
L^[rohi] s[oIdi] VII d[('nari] VIII die anno fatto pagare in
Firenza zoe[cive] a Benedetto de Mayano per XX'' [20,000]
niattonj fiorinj LXII s. se]," (See Arcliiv. Stor. Napol. vol. xx.
p. 328, cited by Dr. von Fabriczy in the ' Repertorium fiir Kunst-
Avisscnschaff/ xx. Band, 2 Heft, p. 9G.) If in 1488 an architect at
Naples sent to Florence for tiles it may be fairly inferred that they
could not have been obtained in the former city, still less likely is
it that similar articles were made there fifty years previously. If
further confirmation were needed it will bo found in the stronc:
indication of the Oriental influence which is characteristic of
Tuscan and Faventine pottery of the first half of the century. The
prevailing deep blues and purples enlivened by touches of trans-
parent green on the tiles are entirely Eastern, and as with the
palette so with the design, the animals, the flowers, the arms, and
the inscriptions treated as ornament, are all reminiscent of the
work of the Oriental artists on carpets or tiles.

Whilst the evidence leaves little doubt as to the approximate
date of the Caracciolo pavement, it is less easy to point to that
which should be placed next to it in chronological sequence. Had
the decision to be determined by style alone, one minht suo-o-est
that of the Tempietto di Sta. Maria della Peste, at Viterbo. But
this, one of the most lovely architectural gems of the early Italian
Renaissance, so exquisite in its proportions, so refined in its stone
carving and mouldings that one almost desires it should be put
under glass to be preserved for all time, is said to date from the
year 1494, which places it about at the end of our list. There is,
however, at Viterbo another tile pavement in the Mazzatosta chapel
of the church of Sta. Maria della Verita, which may, perhaps,
properly follow that of Naples in the order of rotation (see figs. 10 -
24). The chapel, dedicated to the Virgin in honour of her appear-
ing in the usual casual manner to the usual " mammolini," was
founded by Xardo Mazzatosta, who belonged to a wealthy family
of Viterbo. It is celebrated in the story of Italian paintinn- foV

Xvi INTnODUCTION.

the reinarkublo frescos by Lorenzo di Giucomo da Viterbo deco-
rating its walls and roof; of these the Marriage of the Virgin,
containing portraits of the notabilities of the time, introduced after
the manner of Benozzo Gozzoli, the master of Lorenzo, ranks with
the best mural painting of the period *. Lorenzo finished his
work in 14G9, which, it may fairly be inferred, is the date of the
pavement. As we look up from it to the paintings it seems that
some of the profiles on the tiles were even drawn by his own hand,
not, of course, the majority of the heads, since they show the less
skilled work of an assistant. There appears to be no evidence as
to where the tiles were made. Judging from the simple but not
inartistic Viterbese pottery of the present day, a " body " of ex-
cellent quality is found in the neighbourhood of the city, hence
the pavement ma}-- be a local production ; the ornament perhaps in
that case having been painted by an artist from one of the more
famous centres of maiolica fabrication. The affinities of style in
the scroll ornament with that on the tiles of the della Rovere chapel
at Rome, and with those of the Podcrico chapel at Naples, show
that the painter was familiar with the current decorative motives
of the period.

The tiles which formed the pavement in a chamber of the
nunnery of S. Paolo at Parma, and which are now in the
Museum of that city (see figs. 25-34), were considered by the
Marchese Giuseppe Campori to have been made in the year 1503,
on the ground that a partiall}' illegible inscription on one of them
contained that date t- At the same time the Marchese points out
that several tiles bear a shield surmounted by a crozier, whereof one
is sitmed MA-BN, and suggests the letters are an abbreviation of
the name of Maria de Benedictis, who was Abbess of the Monastery
from 1471 to 1482. He further mentions that the head of a Pope,
with surrounding oak-leaves, is de[)icted on another of the tiles,

* For a learned and interesting notice of the Mazzatosta cliapel, see Dr. CoR-
BADO llicci, Lorenzo di Viterbo, Avcbiv. Stor. dell' Arte, vol. i. 1888.

t See Cami'ori in Istorie delle Fabbricbe di Maj cliche Metaurensi, Vanzolini,
vol. ii. p. 231.

INTRODUCTION.

XV 11

From a tile on the S. Paolo,
Parma, pavement.

which suf^f^ests the Pope belonged to
the delhi llovere family, and might
therefore have been Sixtus IV. (1471-
1484:). On the supposition that ho
was the Pojje represented, and that the
arms were those of Maria de Benedictis,
M. Eniile Molinier is of opinion that
the pavement was laid down during-
the peiiod she was Abbess ; for these
reasons he dates the tiles at about
1482 *. In deciding between these
two dates one has to take into con-
sideration the technique and ornamental
motives of the tiles, and these rather
point to an art twenty years earlier than the time stated by the
Marchese, and which agrees with the period suggested by
]\I. Molinier. As to the provenance of the tiles, the archives of
Parma show that potters were working in that city during the
XIV th and succeeding centuries, the names of several being given
by the Marchese Campori ; it is also recorded that some worked
for the art-loving Gonzagas at Mantua, and hence were skilled
artists. It may therefore be concluded that the pavement was
home-made ; it is even possible that the figure-subjects it contains
may have been designed by a Parmesan painter of the period,
Jacopo Loschi ; Prof. Comm. Adolfo Venturi tracing a marked
resemblance in the types of the figures and the drawing of the
heads in his frescos with those in the tiles t-

It is to these busts and figure-subjects that the pavement owes
its exceptional position amongst those of the quattrocento. Besides
compositions like the Judgment of Paris and the Pyramus and
Thisbe, there are allegorical figures of the Virtues, men-at-arms on
horseback, knights, ladies and pages, a man leading an ass, another

* See Molinier: La C6-amique Italieuue au XV« Siecle, 1888, p. 39.
t See Ventuki : L'Arte, 1900, p. .378.

SVIU INTRODUCTION.

cutting wood, a lawyer and numerous profiles and busts, which are
admirable in character and drawin;^. There are, of course, birds,
animals, conventional floral ornament, escutcheons, imprese and
inscriptions ; among these latter given by the Marchese Campori
are:— SOLO IN TE SPERO ROSA — ROSA BELLA —
ASPETO EL TEMPO— CARO EL MI TEXOR— ISAURA
BELLA— PER BEN FARE, etc. Occasionally on the herretti
of the male portraits is seen a cartoUno bearing an inscription
which the Marchese reads ski data in man a K'lcomede, but with-
out explaining its meaning. It must be admitted that some of
the subjects are scarcely those calculated to promote a highly
devotional strain of thought in the minds of the vestals who had
vowed to renounce the pomps and vanities of the world ; indeed,
they tend rather to confiim the account that later on, in the next
century, the relaxation of discipline became so flagrant as to call
forth a severe reprimand from Pope Adrian VI. The room to
which the pavement formerly belonged appears, unlike the cele-
brated Camera di San Paolo decorated by Correggio, to have been
devoid of wall-painting, which may account for the dramatic
character of the incidents depicted on the tiles.

A group of pavements which probably followed that of San
Paolo in chronological succession comprises those in the well-
known della Rovere chapel at Sta. Maria del Popolo at Rome
(figs. 35, 3G) and in four other chapels at Naples (see figs. 37-40).
Sta. Maria del Popolo was rebuilt in 1477 : the della Rovere
chapel contains the tomb of Cardinal Giovanni della Rovere,
brother of Pope Julius II., the Cardinal dying in 1483, but there
appears to be no record giving the time when the chapel was
finished, nor even when the paintings in it by Pinturicchio were
executed ; it is not, however, unreasonable to suppose that both
they and the pavement were completed within a few years of the
death of the Cardinal. The freedom in the design, and the
passages of deep orange peculiar to the maiolica of the last
twenty years of the century, favour the attribution of this date

INTRODUCTION. XIX

for the tiles. The inclination to ascribe them to Urbino is natural,
considering the relations of the del!a Rovere family with that cit}^,
but the assumption is based on no direct evidence whatsoever ; it
seems, therefore, more advisable to leave the question open. The
four Neapolitan pavements are those of the Brancaccio chapel in
S. Antrelo a Nido, the Poderico chapel in S. Lorenzo Ma,t?giore,
the dei Petra chapel at S. Pietro a Maiella, and the cappella dei
]\iartiri at S. Caterina a Formiello, this last being probably the
latest in date. They all contain similar motives of ornamentation
to the Parma and Rome pavements, excepting, of course, as to the
figure-subjects at Parma. They display likewise a similar palette
composed of deep and pale blue, green, pale yellow, and orano-e,
with n:ianganese. The profiles have not the masterly drawing of
those in the Parma tiles ; they may, however, be more appropriate,
considered as motives of decoration ; for bird-painting they arc
excelled by no others. It was said the Caracciolo tiles were
probably Tusciin, but a considerable space of time separating them
from the present ones, an attempted appreciation of the style and
technique of these by a comparison w^'tli the earlier work would
not allow any reliable deduction as to provenance ; perhaps all
that can be suggested on this point is that M^e have here orna-
mental motives analogous to those on Faventine pottery. The
student will find a valuable critical notice of these and other
Neapolitan tile-pavements in an article by Prof. Comm. Giovanni
Tesorone in a recent number of ' Napoli Nobilissima ' ^. Some
charming illustrations in chromolithography of the tiles in the dei
Petra chapel are given by Prince Filangieri in his learned mono-
graph on the church of S. Pietro a Maiella f : the date suggested
by the Prince, the commencement of the XVth century, is, of
course, erroneous ; the mistake was, however, pardonable enough
at the time the volume was written.

* See Tesorone : Napoli Nobilissima, Pavimeuti Maiolicati del XV e XVI
Secolo, vol. X. I'JOl, p. 115.

t Don Gaetano Filangieri : Chiesa e Conveuto di S. Pietro a Maiella in
Napoli, 1881, p. 70.

XX

INTRODUCTION.

From a tilo on tlie San Petronio,
Bologna, pavement.

Every stiitlont of the history o£
Italian maiolica knows and duly
prizes Dr. Liiigi Frati's masterly
study on the pavement of the S. Se-
bastian chapel, formerly belonging
to the Vaselli family, in San Pe-
tronio at Bologna (tigs. ■41-.50) *.
Painstaking in research, and clear
in its exposition, it is a model of all
that is required in a work of this nature ; moreover^ it is about the
earliest publication on the subject treated in the true scientific
spirit. Dr. Frati's account of the tiles being so well known, it is
unnecessary on this occasion to do more than remind the reader
that they came from the pottery of the Casa Betini at Faenza,
and that they are inscribed with the date 1487. It will be re-
membered that the author gives the deed drawn by the notary,
Ser Nicolo Fasanini, Avhereby the chapel is assigned to the Canon
Donati Vaselli conditionally on his decorating it througliout,
including the pavement — " Super terram vero ijtsius capelle fieri
fecit pulcherrimam salicatam de quadrittis vitreatis cum diversis
rebus in illis coloratis." Another maiolica pavement, of which the
enamel is worn off the majority of the tiles, still remains in the
Bentivoglio chapel of the church of S. Giacomo Maggiore, at
Bologna ; its date of fabrication is assigned by Dr. Frati to a time
between the years 1487-1494. It is no easy matter to discern the
original ornamentation of the tiles ; two, however, will be found in
M. Molinier's volume above mentioned f.

It has been stated that the Tempietto di Sta. IMaria della Peste
at Viterbo was erected in 1494, consequently the tiles (figs. 51-58)
may be accepted as of about that period. The pavement, although
in fairly good state^ has been disturbed in places, and, at a time not

* Frati : Di un pavimento in Maiolica nella Basilica retroniana alia cappella
di S. Sebasliano, Bdlogna, lSo3.
t MoLiNiEE : op. cit. p. 58.

INTRODUCTION. XXI

known, in part renewed with tiles o£ a later date, 2 cm. larger in
size than the original ones. Some of the earlier tiles bear letters,
the inscription they formed having apparently been disarranged ;
Sig. lug. Yalerio Caposavi, in whose charge are the monuments of
the city, has, however, discovered it contains the words PAVL^S
NICOLAI PINSIT. The writer is indebted to Sig. Caposavi for
tlie information that Paulus Nicolai lived in Viterbo at the end of
the XVth century. As will be seen by the profile between the
letters FE (fig. 55), the style of drawing is somev/hat primitive ;
so are likewise the motives of ornamentation, which have none of
the free flowing lines of the tiles in Sta. Maria della Verita, but
their unaffected simplicity admirably harmonizes with the senti-
ment which has ins})ired the classic decoration of the temple, itself
reminiscent of the traditions of ancient Etruscan art. The colour-
scheme is conceived in the same spirit, the prevailing tones being
dark and pale blue, with occasional jiassages of green and oranoo
sparingly applied.

Perugia, which was probably once rich in maiolica tile pave-
ments, can now only shovv' two of the XVth century, and these are
little more than wrecks. The one is in the church of tb.o Confra-
ternity di S. Benedetto (fig. 59), the other in the Oratorio di
S. Bernardino (fig. GO), both being in a deplorable state of preser-
vation. Besides the square tiles in S. Bernardino there were others
of triangular form, twelve composing a hexagon, the colours appa-
r(mtly having been in green and brown, but without ornament.
The University Museum of the city contains in its collection some
remains of tiles of the period, the writer cordd not learn whence
they came (see fig. Gl). They were all probably made either at
Perugia or at the neighbouring Castello of Deruta. Fig. G2 is from
Ucruta, similar examples are now in the nmnicipnl museum and
also incrusted in the wall of a church. It will be observed that
the design is directly copied from an Oriental tile or vase, the same
may be said of fig. 63 ; its provenance is unknown to the writer.
All that he has been able to learn of fi^r. 64 is that it came from

iXli INTRODUCTION.

Perugia; the typo boinf^ certainly Umbrian. Fi^. G5, which is
incrusted in the wall of the atrium of S. Francesco at Bologna,
also stands alone. It was found in the restoration of the church,
still in progress. There most likely exist further examples, or at
least remains of these old maioliea tile pavements, in remote corners
of Italy, the discovery of which will reward the research ot future
investigators. From what the writer has been informed by Italians
interested in the glories of the past art of their country, it is certain
that many were still in place at the beginning of the last century;
they were to be seen in Siena even within the last fifty years, but
•when the rage for restoration set in about that time they were
broken up and thrown away by the restoring architects. Seeing
the spirit prevailing among those responsible for the preservation
of ancient monuments in Italy at the present day, the prospect on
this question is brighter ; should any further examples of these
pavements be henceforth discovered there is a reasonable probabiHty
that they will be carefully preserved.

The tiles illustrated in figs. 66-76 are specimens of a larger
number belonging to the Museo Civico at Turin, some of the same
style are also to be seen at the British Museum and South Kensing-
ton. It will be observed that fig. 66 is inscribed 15011 on a
cartolino : this was most likely intended for 1501 or 1511 ; in any
case the art is that of the XV th century. A comparison with the
San Petronio tiles shows analogies in the ornamental motives
suggesting that these also are of Faventine origin, although later
in date. Thus, examining figs. 42 and 71 it is obvious that the
draughtsnmn of one had seen the other, or at least a drawing of it,
the attitude of the hare and the conformation of the foreground
leave little doubt on that point. But the sky of the Turin tile has
floating cloudlets, while that from Bologna has the background
sown with the triple dots of early XVth century work ; other
details tending to the same conclusions will not escape the discern-
iig reader. 11 Sig. Comm. Vittorio Avondo, Director of the Turin
Museum, informed the writer that he was unaware of the place

INTRODUCTION. Xxiii

where the pavement orio;inally stood : similar tiles, however, liave
been ti'aced to Tuscany, an.J Prof. F. Argnani presented the writer
with one found in Faenza.

From the examples discovered within recent years it is evident
that glazed tiles were largely used in the pavements of the Vatican
and the Castel di St. Angelo during the XVth and the commence-
ment of the XVIth century. At St. A^ngelo Major Borgatti has
discovered some veiy precious remains of the pavement of the
small chapel or oratory of Pope Leo X., the facade of which is said
to have been designed by Michael Angelo. The original tiles were,
of course, of the period, a few of these remaining in spots near the
walls. But near the altar are seen others bearing the arms of
Pope Nicolas V. (1447-1455), painted in dark blue and manganese
with touches of pale yellow (see figs. 77-80). During the French
occupation a century ago, the chapel appears to have been used as
an office, when the present cement pavement may possibly have
been laid down, the few Nicolas V. tiles being brought from some
chamber in the Castle. It will be observed that the painter has
sought to obtain variety by leaving in some instances the device in
reserve, but finding the blue then too predominant, lie has intro-
duced passages of ornament in white on the ground (see figs. 79, 80).
Fig. 81 represents a recently discovered fragment of a tile which
is important from bearing a portion of the ivipresa, the radiant
crown, of Pope Alexander VI. (1492-1502) ; the fragment, along
with other objects of interest found in the Castle, is now preserved
in the Museum of St. Angelo. That Alexander VI. made lar^o
additions to the monument is well known, but the papal apartments
have either been transformed or destroyed ; of those referred to by
Vasari as decorated by Pinturicchio with portraits of the family
and friends of the Pope none is in existence, hence the interest
attaching to what })robabIy formed a portion of one of their
pavements.

An interval of twenty years or more se])arates the Borgia tiles
from the one bearing the arms of Leo X. (1513-21), of which an

XXIV INTRODUCTION.

illustration is given because although belonging to the XVIth
century tiie art is that of a preceding age. The remark made Ijv
Macaulaj respecting Italian painting holds good when applied to
its ceramic art : " The first fruits which are reaped under a bad
system often spring from seed sown under a good one. Thus it
was with the age of Raphael." So the re Sued and delicate morsel
of Delia Robbia ware (fig. 82), designed possibly under the direc-
tion of Raphael himself, is entirely in the spirit of the quattrocento.
The inference that the ornamental motive of the tile was furnished
by Raphael is suggested by Vasari's statements, in the Lives of
Luca della Robbia and Raphael Sanzio, that Luca, the nephew of
Luca della Robbia, constructed the pavements of the Loggia at
the Vatican undi'r tlie direction of Raphael, re|)rcsenting upon
them the arms and iniprese of Leo X. It is therefore not un-
likely that some of the same would be used for the pavement of
this chapel : Vasari states the tiles were made at Florence. The
British Museum possesses two examples of the tiles having the
ornament filled in with pale lustre colour, they have no analogies
with known Gubbio or Deruta work ; hence Luca, if they actually
came from his hottega, had hnirnt the lustre secret — a potential
fact which opens up a fascinating subject for enquiry.

The original pavements of the Appartamento Borgia have long
since disappeared ; fortunately, however, when it was determined
a few years ago to repave the chambers Prof. Tesorone, under
whose direction the work was carried out, succeeded in finding
some few of the tiles in a storeroom at the Vatican. The tiles
appear to be of two kinds — on one the painted ornament is in the
usual Italian manner, painted on the flat; on the other it is in
relief, after the Spanish fashion for wail-tiles. Illustrations of
these latter are given by Prof. Tesorone in an Italian artistic
journal *. Since the Pope was Spanish, his family belonging to
Valencia, the relief tiles will probably have come from Spain.

* See Tksorone : Arte Italianri, Anuo vli. Xo. 4, 1898, p. 29.

INTRODUCTION. XXV

As to tlie others (fift's. 83-87), tlie writer can learn of no docn-
nients indicating the place where they were made. AVheresoever
the localitv, the art there {)ract!sed must have displayed a marked
Oriental influence. The painter w^as apparently unfamiliar with
Italian heraldry, as he has quartered the Pope's iui2yrese,ihe radiant
crown and the (hunes : his arms were for one half the field a hull,
for the other three hars. As to the date of the tiles, the frescos
by Pinturicchio in the Appartamento were finished in 1494 *; it
may be, therefore, supposed that the tiles would be laid down at
about the same time. Fig. 88 represents a tile from tl;e Library
of the Duomo at Siena, the walls of that famous liall also havinij:
been painted by Pinturicchio, the commission being given him
by Pope Pius III. (1503). In this instance also the year of
the completion of the frescos, 1507, may be taken as the date of
the pavement. Considering there was a flourishing ceramic art
at this time at Siena, it is probable tlie tiles were made tliere.
The original pavement was restored in tlie middle of the la>t
centurv, when the form of the tiles was chanoed to that of a
rhombus, retaining the design of the border, but placing only one
large crescent in the centre ; the alteration was a saving of labour,
but the old design w^as spoilt.

The interest taken in nuiiolica by the beautiful and famous
Isabella d'Este is known to all readers of artistic literature relating
to her period, and they will recognize the tiles represented in
figs. 89, 90 as belonging to the cortile in her apartments at the
Castello Vecchio, Mantua. It will be remembered that she is
recorded to have given commissions to the potters of several cities,
a letter to the Duke, her husband, from his brother Giovanni
Gonzaga at Pesaro, dated March 24, 1494, possibly refers to these
identical tiles. "A Pesaro done qiiam primum fui gionto heri
mandai per il fignlo che fa la saligata de V. S. et uolsi uedere li
quadrelti che nn paruero belissimi et digni come potera otiam

* See Ci'.o'vi: and CAVAi.CASiai.K : np. cit. 18CG, vol. iii. p. 204.

XXVI IJS'TllODUCTION.

uedere quella perche il niastro rne ha pronicssa uolerli mandare fin
a soi giorni "*. From a second letter from Pesaro, written by-
Silvester de la Calandra, it appears tliat the tih^s were dispatched
ill thirteen cases on June 1 of the same year, which may well b(;
accepted as a probable date for the pavement. An illustration of
a panel of these tiles from the collection of Madame Andre was
given by the late Charles Yriarte in one of the series of articles
by him on Isabella and the artists of her time, in the ' Gazette des
IJeaux-Arts ^f- A notice of the Milan examples, from the pen of
Dott. Cav. Giulio Carotti, will be found in the ' Bollettino della
consulta del Museo Archeologica in Milan/ 1805, p. 28.

It would have been gratifying to have terminated our illustra-
tions with some examples whereof both the date and provenance
could be asserted without question. Failing this it is a satisfaction
to have assurance on one of these points as to the fine tiles on
figs. 91-93. The inscription on the first—" 1513 a di 20..."—
leaves nothing to be desired, except the month. liespecting the
])lace whence the tiles came or where they were made, the writer
knows nothing. As in a former instance, it may be said the date
is that of tiie XVIth century, but the art is the art of the XVth,
and it is because they recall memories of that time they are included
in the present series.

Note. — As the enamel ground of the tiles represented in tlio
following illustrations is white, the fact will not be stated in
the separate descri])tive statements. Except when otherwise
mentioned, tlie outlines throughout are in blue, sometimes ap-
proaching a blue-black. In the case of several tiles belonging to
u single ])avement the sizes of the first only are given. It is also
said, once for all, that the tiles are maiolica. But respecting the
Mantuan tiles (figs. 80 & 90), Prof. G. Tesorone is of opinion they
are mezza maiolica (^;ee the Bollettino della consulta del Museo
Archeologico in Milano, 1895, p. 28).

* A. Bartolotti : Arcliiv. Stor. Lombardo, vol vi. Anno xvi. 1880, p. 810.
t YniAitTK : Gazette des IJoaux-Aiis, vol. xiii. 18'Jo, p. 3Ul.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Fia. 2.— TILE. The first letter in the name of the Virfrin.

Caracciolo Chapel, Naples.

Fig. 3. — TILE. All in blue except the wing, which is green. From the
Caracciolo Chapel. Technical Museum, Naples.

b2

Fig. 4.— tile. From the Caracciolo Chapel. British Mxiseum.

FiCt. 5.— tile. From the Caracciolo Chapel.

Technical Museiim, Naples.

Fig. e — TILE. From the Caracciolo Chapel.

Musee du LeuTre

Fio. 7.— TILE. From the Caracciolo Chapel.

British Museum.

Fig. 8.— tile.

Caxacciolo Chapel, Naples.

Fig. 9. — From a frcscD of the Aniiuiiciation, by a follower of Giotto, in the
Churcli of San Giovanni a Carbonara, Naples, XlVth century. The
tiles are here represented twice the relative size of those in the fresco.

10

Fig. 10. — TILE. The colours of the tiles in the Mazzatosta Chapel are
dark and pale blue, manganese, green, and yellow, the blue predom-
inating. The size of the square tiles is 96 mm., the height of the
hexagonal ones 20 cm. S. Kensington Museum possesses forty-two of
these tiles, the British Museum has two. Mazzatosta Chapel, Church
of Sta. Maria della Verita, Viterbo. British Museum.

11

Fio. 11. — TILE. From the Mazzatosta Chape]. Britisli Museiun.

12

Fig. 12.— tile.

Mazzatosta Chapel, Viterbo.

i:}

m

'^F3

^

— 2^S^\3

^

1

/

v^m

P

i

1

m

m

WStBHSBSA

■n^n

Fig. 13.— tile.

Mazzatosta Cliapel, Viterbo.

14

Fig. 14.— tile.

Mazzatosta Chapel, Viterbo.

15

Fig. 15.— tile.

Mazzatosta Chapel, Viterbo.

16

Fig. 16.— tile.

Mazzatosta Chapel, Viterbo.

17

FiCx. 17.— TILE.

Masaato^ta Chapsl, Viterbo.

18

Fig. 18.-TILE.

Mazzatosta Chapel, Viterbo.

Fig. 10.— tile.

Mazzatosta Chapel, Viterbo.

ly

Fig. 20. — Five tiles containing tlie arms of the Mazzatosta Family. The
enamel is nearly "wom away. Now in position at the chapel.

c2

20

Fig. 21.— tile. From the Mazzatosta Chapel.

South Kensington Museum.

21

•'BK.'rf'jftT a J.TsgStcaX:

»aQ-kdi('

Fig. 22,— tile. From the Mazzatosta Chapel.

South Kensington Musevun.

22

Fig. 23.— tile. Fi-om the Mazzatosta Chapel.

Scuth Kensington Museum.

^f'2g?i^?^SSSa=a::gSt5jeL«ei!«^^^

Fig. 24. — TILE. From the Mazzatosta Chapel.

South Kensington Museum.

24

r^"~^ — y^

liL."; laa

^ssBm,

rio. 25. — TILE, Tho size of these tiles is 20 cm. square, the thiclmess
55 mm. The shading of the flesh is faintly indicated in all instances in
blue. From the Monastery of S. Paolo, Parma.

Parma Museum.

25

Fig. 20. — TILE. In this instance the ornamental background i.*i kept
within a line at a short distance from the bust ; the method is not
always followed. From the INlonastery of S. Paolo, Parma.

South Kensington Museum.

26

Fig. 27. — TILE. The Judgment of Paxis. From the Monastery of
S. Paolo. Parma Museum.

27

Fig. 28,— tile. Pvi-udius and Thisbe. From the Monastery of S. Paolo.

Parma Musevira.

28

Fig. 29.— tile. Purity. From tlio Monastery of S. Paolo.

Parma Musemn.

29

V^ac

Fig. 30.— tile. From the Monastery of S. Paolo, Parma Museum.

30

Fig. 31.— tile. From the Monastery of S, Paolo. Parma Museum.

31

Fig. 32. — TILE. From the Monastery of S. Paolo, Parma Museum.

32

Fig. 33. — TILE. (Compare with tlie aiiiinal drawing in the Grotta Cam-
paua tomb, Veil.) From the Monastery of 8. Paolo.

Parma Museum.

33

Fig. 34.— tile. From the Monastery of S. Paolo, Painia.

British Museum.

34

Fig. oo.-TILES. From Sta. Maria del Popolo, Rome. The first tile iu
deep blue orange, and dark green; the second in blue, mauo-anese,
orange and green; the third green with orange acorns. The size
21 cm. by 95 mm. Delia Rovere Chapel, Rome.

35

Fig. 36. — TILES. The first, blue, green, and orange; the second (tlie
royal arms of Aragon, Naples), black and yellow ; the third, blue ground,
green, and acorns yellow. Delia Rovere Chapel, Itcme.

d2

86

Fig. 37.— tiles. From tlie Chapel of Cardinal Brancaccio in the Church
of S. Angelo a Nido, Naples. The square tile 10 cm., the hexagonak
20 cm. high. Technical Museum, Naples.

37

Fig. 38.— tiles. From the Cappella dei Martiri in the Church of S.
Caterina a Formiello, Naples. The square tile 105 mm., the hexa^onals
21 cm, high. Technical Museum, Naples.

38

Fig. 39. — TILES, From the Poderico Chapel in the Church of S. Lorenzo
Maggiore, Naples. The square tile 105 mm., the hexagonals 21 cm.
high. Technical Museum, Naples.

39

Fig. 40. — TILES. From the dei Petra Chapei in the Church of S. i'ititro
a Maiella, Naples. The square tile 95 mm., the hexagonals 20 cm. high.

Technical Museum, Naples,

.40

Fig. 41. — TILE. From the S. Sebastian Chapel at San Petronio, Bologna.
Ground and border dark blue ; wreath and ora.inient in orange ; shading
of face and pearls light blue. All the tiles 165 mm. high.

S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

41

Fig, 42. — TILE. Scroll, blue, lake, and orange; hare shaded in pale blue,
foreground, orange ; circular band green and orange.

S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

4S

Fig. 43. — TILE. Snail shaded in pale blue on orange ground ; circular
band, blue and orange ; floral ornament, blue with orange eyes.

S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

43

Fia. 44. — TILE. Bird, dragon, and clierubs shaded in pale blue; centre
ground blue, outside orange, between the two green.

S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

44

Fig, 45. — TILE. Ground of centre, blue, inside circle orange, hexagon
blue, outside ground orange ; letters orange ; banderole and wavy border
shaded in pale blue, spots, green. S, Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

45

Fia. 4(x — TILE. Ground dark blue, pale part, orange ; interlacing bands
shaded in pale blue. S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

46

Fig. 47. — TILE. Dark ground blue ; chevron in border, orange ; centre
orange, circle green, hexagon, orange and green ; interlacing bands aad
pearls shaded in pale blue. S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

47

Fig. 48. — TILE. Dark ground, blue, pale ground, orange ; interlacing
bands and pearls shaded in pale blue.

S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

48

® ® ®

© »®

Fig. 49.— TILE. The upright of altar-steps. The darks are blue, shading
in pale blue ; centres of rosettes orange, then blue, orange, and green ;
touches of orange and green in flowers. 17 cm. high.

S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.

49

Fig. 50. — TILE. Dark parts, blue, shaded in li;jht blue; cones orange, a
line of green below ; centres of rosettes, orange, outer circle green.

S. Sebastian Chapel, Bologna.
E

50

Yia. 51. — TILE. Dark and light blue, spot orange. All this series 9 cm.
square. Sta. Maria della Paste, Viterbo.

Fig. 52.— tile. Dark bine, orange centre.

Sta. Maria della Peste, Viterbo.

51

Fig. 53. — TILE. Blue, orange and green in centre.

Sta. Maria della Peste, Viterbo.

Fig. 54. — TILE. Blue, orange touches in the imbrications.

Sta. Maria della Peste, Viterbo.
e2

52

Fig. 65. — TILE. Hue, orange and green drobS.

Sta. Maria della Peste, Viterbo.

Fio. 56, — TILE. JjIuo and orange. Sta. Maria della Peste, Viterbo.

53

Fig, 57. — TILE. Dark blue, orange and green.

Sta. Maria della Peste, Viterbo,

Fig. 58.— tile. Dark blue.

Sta. Maria della Peste, Viterbo.

54

Fig. 59. — TILE, Dark and pale Wue. 9 cm. square.

S. Benedetto, Perugia.

55

Fig. 60. — TILE. Dark and pale blue, the four small leaves green. Oo lum.
square. One of the tiles is in the British Museum.

S. Bernardino, Perugia.

56

Fig. 61.— six TILES. Dark and pale blue aiid p:reen. Each tile 16 cm.
high. University Museum, Perugia.

57

Fig. 62. — TILE. The ornament warm ochre colour. Sometimes the orna-
ment has passaj^es of blue. 97 mm. square. One of the tiles is in the
British Museum. Mviseum, Deruta.

58

Fig. 63.— tile. Ornauieut thicLly painted in browa inangauese. 10 cm.
square. Unkoown provenance. Henry Wallis,

59

Fig. 64.— tile. Outline, border, and spots in manganese; bandelet and
wings, blue ; cloud at foot, green. 95 mm. square, 2 cm. thick. Sup-
posed to have come from Perugia. Henry WaJlis.

60

fiQ. 65. — TILE. Outlined in manganese, triangles painted in manganese
and green, green touches in spaces of interlacing band.

S. Francesco, Bologna.

61

Fig. 66. — TILE. The colour scheme of this series is composed of dark and
pale blue, green, yellow, aud orange ; the outUnes are in blue. The size
is 15 cm. square.' Civic Museum, Turin.

Fig. 67.— tile.

Civic Museum, Turin.

63

Fig. 68.— tile.

Civic Museum, Turin.

64

Fig. 69.— tile.

Civic Museum, Turin.

G5

i'lG. 70. -TILE.

Civic Museum, Turin.

QQ

Fig. 71.--TILE.

Civic Museum, Turin.

67

Fig. 72.— tile.

Civic Miiseuni, Ttirin.

68

Fig. 73.— tile.

Civic Museum, Turin.

00

Fig. 74.— tile.

Civic Museum, Turin,

70

Fig. 76.— tile.

Civic Museum, Turin.

71

Fio. 76.— TILE.

Civic Museum, Turin.

72

''iG. 77.^TILE. Dark blue. 10 cm. square.

Castle of St. Angelo, Rome.

73

Fig. 78. — TILE. Blue, manganese, and pale yellow.

Castle of St. Angelo, Rome.

74

Fig. 79.— half TILE. Blue.

Castle of St. Angelo, Rome.

Fig. 80.— HALF TILE. Blue.

Castle of St, Angelo, Rome.

75

Fig. 81.— PART OF TILE. Blue. H. 75 mm.

Miisemn of Castle of St. Angelo, Rome.

76

Fig. 82. — TILE. Outline of ornament In relief. The highest palla cobalt-
blue, the rest violet manganese ; a touch of manganese above shield ;
touches of blue on handles of keys and uuitin<^ cord. 14 cm. square.
Chapel of Leo X., Castle of St. Angelo, Rome.

77

Fig. 83. — TILE. Blue (radiant crowns yellow, flames manganese). 13 cm,
square. From the Appartameuto Borgia. British Museum.

78

Fig. 84. — TILE. Blue, flowers purple. Appartamento Borgia, or perhaps
a chamber in the Vatican of the time of Pope Innocent VIII. (1484-
1492). See Ehrle and Stevenson, Gli Aifreschi del Pinturirchio
neir Appartatnento Bmgia., 1897, p. 40. British Musetun.

79

Fio. 85. — TILE. Blue. 6 cm. square, Appartamento Borgia.

British Museum.

Fig. 86. — TILE. Blue. 6 em. square. Appartamento Borgia.

British Museum.

80

Fro. 87.— TILE. Blue. 9 cm. square.

Appartamento IJorgia.

British Museum.

81

Fig. 88. — TILE. Yellow crescent on blue ground ; borders on yellow
ground, spots red (Armenian Bole). Each side 15 cm. From the library
of the Duomo, Siena, Henry TVallis

^2

Fig. 89.— tile. Eagles, deep blue ; lions, llglit blue ou black ; bars, orange
and black ; cross, deep manganese. 23 cm. square, 45 mm. thick. Re-
verse, two deep circles and live holes cut into the body. From Mantua.

Civic Miisevun, Milan.

^3

Fig. 90. — FOUR TILES. (1) Orange rays, manganese ground ; gras?,
green. (2) Rays in pale manganese and orange. (3) Outlined in blue
(the outlines throughout are blue). (4) Green ground, orange bandelet.
Each the same size as Fig. 89. From Mantua.

Civic Museum, Milan.

H

Fio. 91.— PORTION OF TILE. Ornament in pale blue, central petal of
flowers orange. H. 16 cm. British Museum.

So

VtOt. 92.-^PORTlON OF TILE, Ornament iu pale blue, stag orange,
touches of green and orange in ornament. British Museum.

86

Fig. 93.— PORTION OF TILE. Pale blue ornament with touches ot
green and orange ; stag orange. British Musevizn.

87

NOTE. — This volume was already printed when the writer
happened to mention the subject o£ the Appartamento Borgia tiles
to Mr. G. J. de Osma, who pointed out that tiles like those in
figs. 85 & 86 had been made in Spain, and showing an illustra-
tion of one of them which he intended giving in his forthcoming
work on Spanish ceramic art. The similarity was so obvious as
to leave no doubt of the Spanish origin of the Vatican tiles, unless
the latter were Italian copies. It has been stated at page xxiv of
the Introduction that some of the pavements in the Appartamento
Borgia were in Spanish relief tiles ; it is hence not improbable
that painted tiles from the same source might also have been used
there. Mr. de Osma suggested that these small tiles, figs. 85 &
86, might originally have fitted into the corners of the large tile,
fig. 84, following a method sometimes practised in Spanish tile
decoration .

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